Death Toll Rises to Four Following Fire at Oil India Facility in Assam

The death toll in the fire incident at an Oil India Ltd (OIL) facility in Assam’s Dibrugarh district has increased to four after another injured worker succumbed to injuries on Sunday, according to official reports.

The incident occurred on November 6 following an explosion during maintenance work at OIL's intermediate tank farm located in Tengakhat. An intermediate tank farm is a facility where petroleum products are temporarily stored in tanks before being transferred for further processing or transportation.

One person died on the day of the incident, while two more individuals passed away the following day. On Sunday, a mechanical helper identified as Sailen Gogoi, who was receiving treatment at a private hospital, passed away, bringing the total number of fatalities to four. Three other workers injured in the Friday blaze remain hospitalized in critical condition.

All the affected workers were employees of Spectron Engineering Private Limited, a Mumbai-based company that was engaged by OIL for operations.

Following the accident, OIL announced an ex gratia payment of ₹10 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased person and ₹5 lakh to each of the injured workers.

State and central authorities have monitored the situation closely. Union Minister and Dibrugarh Lok Sabha MP Sarbananda Sonowal spoke with OIL Chairman and Managing Director Ranjit Rath to review developments. Additionally, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directed his principal secretary to maintain direct communication with the OIL CMD to ensure the provision of optimal medical care for the injured individuals and proper compensation for the families of the victims.

"This tragic incident at the Oil India facility underscores the critical importance of rigorous safety protocols and operational risk management, particularly during maintenance work involving hazardous petroleum assets. Beyond immediate humanitarian relief and ex gratia support for the affected families of Spectron Engineering, industrial operators must rigorously evaluate contractor safety compliance to prevent such operational hazards and safeguard workforce lives." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes